Russians’ attitudes towards Finland contradictory: Survey

Finland’s reputation among Russians has stabilised at a lower level compared to previous years following Russia’s war of aggression and Finland’s subsequent NATO membership, according to a survey commissioned by the Embassy of Finland in Moscow.

The survey conducted by the Levada Center in July 2024 showed that 40% of Russians reported a positive attitude towards Finland, compared to 37% in 2023, said the Ministry for Foreign Affairs in a press release on Tuesday referring to the survey.

The improvement falls within the margin of error (3.4%) of the survey. Over a longer observation period, the trend is clearly downward: in 2022, 51% of Russians viewed Finland positively, in 2021 it was 68%, and in 2019 as high as 71%.

Among different respondent groups, the most positive attitudes are found among young adults aged 18–24, of whom 61% still report a positive attitude towards Finland.

Among respondents aged over 55, only 29% showed positive attitudes.

Across the entire data set, 27% of Russians reported a negative attitude towards Finland in 2024 (28% in 2023; 5% in 2019).

As in the previous year, one in three respondents (33%) was unable or unwilling to express an opinion. This can partly be explained by the geographical scope of the survey, as people living further away from Finland’s border and outside major cities may not have personal experiences of Finland.

On the other hand, the Levada Center assessed that traditional positive images of Finland, formed over the years, still influence some Russians, but Finland’s negative portrayal in Russian state media creates a conflict. As a result, respondents are unable or unwilling to express a clear opinion.

“The decline in Finland’s reputation is rooted in the way Russian state media and propagandists depict the entire West as hostile to Russia. The EU sanctions on Russia, Finland’s and Sweden’s NATO membership, and the border closure are all tied to this narrative. We must remember that the deterioration in relations is, of course, due to Russia’s own actions in initiating the war of aggression against Ukraine,” said Finnish Ambassador to Moscow Marja Liivala.

Relations between Finland and Russia perceived as cold; reasons for the border decision not understood

Russians’ views on the relations between Finland and Russia are similar to those a year ago.

Twenty nine percent of respondents described the relations as cold, 22% as tense, and 10% as hostile while 7% of respondents considered the relations good, and 15% describe them as ‘normal and peaceful’. Nineteen percent respondents were unable to express an opinion.

When asked what actions by Finland could further weaken the relations between the two countries, 51% mentioned NATO bases on Finnish territory, 14% cited new sanctions against Russia, and 11% mentioned the continuation of entry restrictions.

The Ministry for Foreign Affairs has commissioned country image surveys about Finland in Russia since 2017, at least once in every two years. The current survey was the sixth.

The survey was conducted through in-person interviews in 50 regions and 137 population centres in Russia between 25 and 31 July 2024. The survey included a representative sample of 1,603 Russian adults.